Graia Remembers
by lovelyverdigris
Summary: [Echorium Sequence the most obscure fandom EVER] Starts at the end of Song Quest, but is really the equivalent of a Marauder fic. Toharo and Eliya are both dead, and Graia remembers their childhoods as novices of the Echorium [GraiaToharo]
1. Echoes

Disclaimer: Sadly, I don't own the Echorium sequence, etc.

Singer Graia sat on the beach, her knees drawn up to her chest, staring out at the sea long after the merlee pulled the two little boats out of sight. The sounds of people talking, laughing, and even singing passed behind her, but all Graia could do was stare out at the horizon. She had told the rest of the Echorium that Eliya would not want them to be sad, and it was true. But Graia just couldn't help it; as she had stood waist-deep in the ocean, watching as the last remains of her two best friends being carried off into oblivion, the _Shi_ had just burst from her. The rest of the Echorium thought they understood. They figured that she was just paying her respects, honoring the passing of a well-accomplished and valuable Singer that had reached the end of her days. But it was more than that. They couldn't understand, they couldn't know. It wasn't proper.

A light breeze played over the shore. Graia's robes billowed a little around the shoulders, and would have more so had she not been sitting on the ends. She thought about the changes that had occurred since Eliya's death. Toharo's vacant chamber was now occupied by Kherron, the latest to join the ranks of the Singers. Graia herself had been appointed First Singer of the Echorium. It was very awkward living in Eliya's old quarters; Eliya's echoes were everywhere. Graia sensed her everywhere-this is where she slept, this is where she did breathing and humming exercises, this is where she stood by the window and gazed out at the sea. Graia wished she could move back to her old chamber, but it would soon be occupied by another new Singer, perhaps Chissar, or Rialle, when she finished her therapy. The changes seemed very minor, but each left a big, gaping hole in Graia's heart.

_Gone_. The fact settled into Graia's mind like a tidal wave. Both of them were gone. She couldn't quite believe it. They said Eliya had died of old age. She had only been eight years Graia's senior, in her mid-fifties. Graia knew that it was not old age that had killed her. It was partly because of many, many years of singing; it only made sense that something of as much power as the Songs would begin to take power out of those who wielded it. It was partly because of Toharo's death; the news came as such a shock, especially the means: crushed by an avalanche orchestrated by the Khizpriest. But it was the _Yehn_ that did it. Eliya herself had been part of Khizpriest's _Yehn_. It may not have been as bad if the Song hadn't been transmitted so far through bluestone and then through the Khiz, but the combination of that and the echoes of the _Yehn_ itself that had seen Eliya to her last.

But what affected Graia the most profoundly was the loss of Toharo. Graia would never forgive the Khizpriest for the fact that Toharo had to die so far away from the Isle, from his home, from her. Just in case the raging Quetzal hadn't finished the job, Graia had put more feeling into the Khizpriest's _Yehn_ than she had into any song ever before. Oh, Echoes, how she missed Toharo. She missed his soft blue curls; she missed his beautifully deep voice; she missed everything about him. Graia fingered the silver metal disc that hung from a silk cord around her neck. She wore it always, except when she was singing on the Pentangle. It had been a gift from Toharo; he had found it many, many years ago on one of their adventures as novices. Good times, good times…

Graia fingered the end of her braid, still staring out at the sea. She put her head her knees, thinking of Toharo and Eliya. She thought about a time many years ago, when she, Toharo, and Eliya were still novices. Eliya's final year had been Graia and Toharo's first year. It was such a long time ago, but Graia remembered. Graia remembered…

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A/N: Sorry about the shortness, but it was 3 AM and I just _had_ to get this up. No betas, because no one's READ the Echorium Sequence, but props to Georgia, Rosie, Demi, and Vivian for letting me rant.


	2. Beginnings

Disclaimer: You know the drill.

The sun streamed in through the glassless windows into a classroom full of drowsy First Years. Singer Ianthe, a little old woman with whispy hair damaged from many years of dye, was at the front of the room, rambling on about the creation of the Isle, or something like that. Graia sat silently, her chin resting on her hand, her eyelids drooping. She felt a light tugging at the back of her head. At first, she thought it may have been exhaustion, but then she realized: someone behind her was pulling on the end of one of her braids.

"What do you want?" Graia hissed in a pallet-whisper. Whipping her head around. Behind her, Toharo grinned mischievously, fingers wrapped around the end of Graia's braid.

"They're taking us down to the beach," he whispered back, "It would be very easy to…ah…get separated from the group." He twirled the end of the braid in his fingers. Graia snatched her hair back and glared at him.

"No," she replied, "I'm not going to let you get me into trouble. Again."

"Fine," Toharo shrugged, "Your loss." Graia turned back around and stared fiercely at the front of the room until the class was dismissed. The First Years rushed through the cool bluestone corridors, dodging older novices and orderlies in order to get to their next lesson. On the way, Graia paused in front of the First Singer's chamber. Something very unusual was issuing from within: shouting.

"Eliya," said the familiar voice of First Singer Rilyn, "You know this isn't the first time-"

"And it won't be the last time, either!" shouted an unfamiliar voice, presumably Eliya. The words were laced with _Aushan_. Graia stood rigid. Shocked. No one shouted at the First Singer. Ever.

"Don't take that tone with me!" the First Singer shouted back. The _Aushan_ was much, much stronger. Graia shuddered. She pitied Eliya, having to get the full force of it. "Eliya," Rilyn said, calming himself down, "Your attitude cannot be like this. You have worked too long and too hard. Your voice-"

"Oh, so what do you want me to do? Just go back out there as if nothing happened? Ollaron started it, he called me-"

"It doesn't matter what he called you! You need to learn to control your temper." Silence. The halls were emptying, and Graia figured she 'd better get to her next class, but she wanted to hear the end of this argument.

"Control my temper?" Eliya said, "This is controlling my temper. You really don't want to see me when I'm not. But you might, if you keep me in here any longer." The door burst open, and out stormed a flurry of white silk.

"Eliya!" Rilyn's voice came from within, "I'm not finished yet. Come back!" Graia broke into a run when she saw Rilyn himself appeared in the doorway, just in time to see Eliya reach the end of the corridor and turn out of sight.

Graia ran to her class, thinking over what she had just witnessed. She had never heard anyone raise their voice to the First Singer, especially using a Song. She wondered who in the world had enough nerve to do something like that. None of the Singers, certainly. But it would have to be, she had used _Aushan_, and quite powerfully, as well. She thought a bit more, trying to place it, and then it hit her: White silk…Eliya was a novice. A novice who could shout _Aushan _at the First Singer of the Echorium. Graia admired Eliya's bravery; the only time she had ever talked to the First Singer, she had been quaking in her sandals.

Fortunately for Graia, Toharo had been right in saying that they were going to the beach. Her fellow First Years were clumped around the classroom door, and Graia had no trouble blending in unnoticed. She forced her way into the middle of the group, finding Toharo exactly where she figured he would be: weaving spectacular tales to disquiet their fellow novices.

"And how about that sea monster?" Toharo was saying, "I heard that-"

"Sea monster?" squeaked a wide-eyed little girl called Tessa.

"What, you've never heard of the sea monster?" asked Toharo. The others shook their heads; of course they hadn't, Toharo was making it up. But Toharo sprouted a malevolent grin and began. "Well, he lives in the ocean right around the isle. He has lots of slimy tentacles," Toharo wiggled is fingers, "and really, really sharp teeth. And he likes to eat ships that try to go past him. That's why nobody ever leaves the Isle, because everyone's afraid of being eaten!" Toharo snapped his teeth viciously. Tessa gasped. Toharo laughed and continued, "Except the Second Singer, because he knows how to talk to it. That's how you become the Second Singer, because you can talk sea-monster-language. Anyway, the Second Singer will stand on the boat and talk to the sea monster and tell it not to eat their boat, and sometimes the sea monster will come out of the water and let him pet its fins-"

"Fins?" asked another listener, a boy named Badral, "I thought you said it had tentacles."

"It has fins AND tentacles," Toharo said, gesturing wildly, "And fangs, and…and…"

"That's enough," came the melodious voice of Singer Kayel, "Come on." She started briskly down the hallway. The class followed, a bit more slowly. Little Tessa ran up behind her and tugged on her sleeve.

"Singer," Tessa asked, "Is there really a sea monster?" Kayel gave a small, secretive smile.

"Maybe." Tessa squeaked and fell back into the group. Graia turned to Toharo, who was looking quite pleased with himself.

"What'd you do that for?" Graia asked, frowning, "You're going to ruin our first time at the beach-"

"What are you talking about?" Toharo said, "It's not MY first time, I go down there all the time."

"You don't have to lie to me," Graia said, glaring, "You can really be an idiot sometimes, you know?"

"Oh, come on! I was just having fun." He tweaked the end of her braid again. "You need to lighten up. And the look on Tessa's face, that was priceless-" But he saw the look on Graia's face and stopped joking. Almost. "What's eating you?" Toharo asked, "Sea monster got your tongue?" Graia glared.

"Stop joking, will you?" Graia said, "There's something I need to tell you." She lowered her voice. "I saw…heard someone shouting at First Singer Rilyn."

"I'm sure he deserved it," Toharo replied, unconcerned. Toharo had had a fair few run-ins with the First Singer, for a First Year, always pulling pranks and getting into trouble.

"A _novice_, Toharo," Graia said, trying to get him to listen, "A novice was shouting _Aushan_ at the First Singer." Toharo went wide-eyed.

"Whoa!" He exclaimed, "That's awesome! He must have been a Final Year, you're not allowed to use Songs 'til then…"

"She," Graia corrected. Toharo looked at her, confused. "It was a girl," Graia continued, "named Eliya."

"No way," Toharo said.

"Do I look like I'm kidding?" Graia put on a serious face. Toharo looked at her, and started laughing. But he sobered himself up quickly.

"No." The group of First Years passed the First Singer's door. Graia listened intently.

"Now tell me again, Ollaron," came Rilyn's voice, "What happened between you and Eliya this morning?"

"I told you already, I don't know! We were just talking, and then she hit me! I couldn't take that lying down, could I? So I hit her back-" Ollaron's voice was too fierce, too intense; he was lying. Being forced along by the group, Graia heard no more.

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A/N: This chapter may not actually be done, but I figured it's been long enough since I started the story, and that this was a good stopping point. So here it is. Love to Rosie, Georgia, and Francesca for being the ONLY PEOPLE I KNOW to have read Echorium.


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